Model rocket gliders are model aircraft that are launched into the air by a model rocket engine and are returned for a soft landing on the ground by a glide descent flight path. Model rockets are conventionally powered by solid rocket propellant charges and, after approaching maximum altitude or a height of several hundred feet, are designed to return to a soft landing by parachute or by a glide flight path.
One of the most prominent problems associated with previously designed rocket gliders has been the requirement of trim changes for proper flight during the powered and unpowered or glide stage. Some previous attempts to solve this problem include providing movable control surfaces on the flight vehicle, rocket engines that can move forward or aft, folding wings, jettisonable engine pods, and the like. When using jettisoned parts they are normally complex in design and operation which makes them susceptible to failure and, they also are aesthetically unattractive and not always easily recoverable.
Ejectable rocket nose cones that are replaced by a light weight nose cone, while simultaneously deploying wing elevators, have also been employed previously to adjust the center of gravity of model rockets during flight. These systems are complicated in operation and relatively expensive to produce. Also, the ejected rocket nose cones are not always easily recovered.
Parachute recovery of rocket launched model aircraft deprives the hobbyist of the excitement involved in a glide return flight.
Thus, a definite need resides in the art for a simple, inexpensive rocket glider stabilization system for use in the powered and unpowered glide return flight.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reliable, inexpensive rocket glider stabilizing system that employs a minimum number of parts and does not employ releasable parts that need to be recovered.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, counterweight, ejection device for rocket glider stabilization.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved counterweight ejection device for rocket glider stabilization.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a releasable and expendable counterweight for a rocket glider that is ejected from the rocket when the rocket engine is expended.
Still another object of the present invention is an adjustable weight counterweight system for rocket gliders.